I’ve known for several years that I would not retire from the classroom. It’s not that I didn’t love teaching, I did. It was just that I wanted to see what else is out there. (And–surprise!–there is a lot out there!)
I wrote a post a few years ago about shutting down teacher ambition. As a teacher I personally found it hard to mesh teaching with ambition. Don’t get me wrong, you can totally be ambitious IN the classroom, but oftentimes if you share that you have ambition to move out of the classroom, colleagues (and others) look at you askance. (I feel like in the past couple years this has changed at least a little bit, or maybe I’ve just been connecting with more people in that realm who share my feelings and so it just feels like it changed. IDK.)
Thankfully, I didn’t listen to the naysayers, I listened to myself and I went on a winding road to get to where I am now.
After writing that post I did move out of the classroom. I became an instructional coach for two years (and LOVED it) and then made the decision to go back in the classroom, not because I couldn’t wait to teach again, but because I was really excited about a new campus my district had created. After returning to the classroom–and with the opportunity that was hinted at no longer an option–I realized it was time to make a change.
And now? I’m out. I’m out of the classroom, out of the school, out of the district. I spent most of 2020 (starting pre-pandemic) figuring out what I want and working my ass off to get it. I networked, I took courses, I read books and articles, I wrote and rewrote (x 100) my resume, and applied for jobs like crazy.
And then it finally happened. I got a call back, and an interview, and a second interview, and a job offer. And I got a new job (make that a new career!) at an edtech company that let me follow my passion into a new role which started January 4th.
Through this process I learned SO MUCH and I plan to share what I learned during the job hunt and in my new position over the next year as I get settled into this new career and new life.
Maybe some ambitious teacher out there who wants to try something new but isn’t feeling the support will find some nuggets in what I have to share.
